The Minnesota Senate met in a rare Friday floor session as the legislative session nears an end just over two weeks from now. It was also a rare session this week where Republicans didn’t make a motion regarding DFL Senator Nicole Mitchell(Woodbury) in the aftermath of her arrest for burglary.

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“We’ve given many, many opportunities over the last ten days for Democrats to do the right thing,” Republican Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson said at a news conference. “To make sure that Senator Mitchell is not the deciding vote on a number of these controversial issues.”

Johnson says he hopes the Senate Ethics Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday will convince Democrats to find “probable cause” for further investigation of an ethics violation.

“Again, it’s another opportunity for Democrats to see the evidence,” he said. “It’s been very, very public. Very blatant. And have some opportunity after that to take some action.”

Also Friday, Senators passed a cannabis bill that makes more than 100 changes to the law passed last year legalizing recreational marijuana.  

“As I said many times last year this would not be the last time the legislature hears a cannabis bill,” said Sen. Lindsay Port(DFL-Burnsville). “Prohibition of alcohol ended nearly 100 years ago and we still hear alcohol-related bills every session.”

In the House, a group of Republican representatives say they plan to offer an amendment to the House Higher Education Bill to stop state financial grants to students or student organizations on college campuses that support terrorist organizations like Hamas.

“I’m a firm and unwavering believer in the right to the First Amendment,” said Rep. Elliott Engen(R-White Bear Township). “You can say ugly things that I disagree with, but I don’t have to fund it. Nor do Minnesota taxpayers.”

The lawmakers also want the University of Minnesota to do a better job of enforcing rules against hate speech on campus.